The Beijinger Blog - Nathaniel Hillard

From Strip Club to Health Club: Pole Dancing Goes Aerobic

thebeijinger — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:00:00 +0800

The most surreal experience was the subway ride afterwards. I squeezed through the doors, pushed through a crowd of people, and there it was, now in an entirely new light. As I gripped its shiny surface, I realized a profound truth: I will never look at a pole the same way again.

My arms and legs ached. My shoulder was bruised. My shirt was soaked through with sweat. It had indeed been a workout.

Hours before, I’d entered a room on the 20th floor of an office building, thinking, like many others, that I’d take a crack at pole dancing. I hadn’t walked into a strip club – those are illegal here.

The Great Race: Seven commuters in the dash across Beijing

thebeijinger — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:27 +0800

Ever wondered which is the most efficient mode of transportation in Beijing? We have too. So we sent out seven intrepid movers and shakers in a race from our offices at Dawang Lu (in the CBD) to the Drum Tower at rush hour in order to uncover which form of transport is the King of Commutes. Here are the results:

“Tigers Don’t Get Colds”: Lessons from an unusual master

thebeijinger — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:00:28 +0800

There’s a figure in the distance. Down on all fours, his sweatpants-clad rear juts out, as he waddles past a trashcan. With utmost deliberation and a look of intense concentration on his serene face, he alternates hand and foot. He is both awkward and regal; tiger-in-pants meets King of the Forest.

Success: I’ve finally spotted Han Laoshi.

“A new student!” exclaim his followers, a ragtag bunch of all-too-friendly sexagenarians. They lend me a set of obligatory hand-gear (worker gloves), and class is in session.

My teacher is a sprightly 72-year-old man with a personalized t-shirt. A banner behind him states 爬出健康 (“from crawling comes health”), the mantra of his unique philosophy – the “Five Beastly Walks” – which teaches disciples how to attain personal wellbeing through mimicking the gaits of animals.